Quenching apparatus



March24, 1925. '1,530,805

J. G.- AYERS Qusucnrus APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1924 41 f l 39 y uml*1,

Patented Mar. 24, 1925.y

UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE# JOSEPH G. AYERS, IVIONTCLAIR,` NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR T GENERAL-MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

QUENCHING APPARATUS.

To all 107mmit may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH G. Ariens, a v

` citizen of the United States, residing at Montclair, county of Essex,State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful QuenchingApparatus, of which the fol-` apparatus for clamping hollow` articlessuch as rings or sleeves during a quenching operation.

In the manufacture of race rings for rol-` ler bearings, it is customaryto confine the hot work pieces on a suitably shaped core or plug toprevent'distortion of the Work pieces while quenching in a bath ofcooling fluid. If such plugs are of a diameter to` just fit the hot workpieces, they can not l be inserted with facility and, if they are small,they do not properly support the work pieces during the quenchingoperation. It has been proposed to expand a member within the workpieces but suoli fixtures have not had a sufficiently large outerlsurface to hold the work against distortion nor have they maintainedthe proper shape during all positions of expansion.

It is an object of this einventiomtherefore, to provide an apparatuswhich will avoid the above and other disadvantages. In accordance withone feature, a solid core in the form yof a pyramid or frustum of apyramid cooperates with a series of outer sections havingcorrespondingly inclined flat faces fitting the pyramidal faces,'thesections presenting a substantially continuous outer holding surfacewhich is ex-` panded within the work'by relative sliding movement of theflat faces upon one-another.

f In the illustrated construction, the sections are moved longitudinallyon the pyramidal faces by cooperating; cam members and the cylindricalsurface maintains its `shape in all positions of adjustment.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of thecharacter inydicated` my invention consists in the, various ymattershereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of thequenching apparatus. Figure 2 vis a front elevation ofthe core.

Figure 3 is an end view of thecore. I

Figures and 5 are, respectively, a front and a side view'of'one of theclamping sections.

j Figureis an end view of. two adjacent clamping members looking attheir larger ends.

Figure 7 is a modification partly broken away and in section.

The numeralv 10 designates a support which can be raised and loweredtocarry the apparatus into and out ofv a bath of liquid `to quench anarticle. `A vertically extending shaft 12 is fastened to the `supportlOby a set screw 14 andto take the upward thrust to which the shaft issubjected in operation, a nut 16 is threadednon the lower end of theshaft and abuts against a washer on the underside ofthelsupport 10. Theupper end of the shaft has a reduced `threaded portiony 18 which screwsinto an g opening in the small end of. a core 20, 'the y core preferablybeing substantiallyv of the form. of aV frustum of j a pyramid, hereinshown as having eight fiat pyramidal faces 22. The flat faces arerelieved at intervals as indicated at 24 by means of peripheral cuts,thus reducing the area of the flatk faces on which clamping members, tobe hereinafter referred to, mayslide easily. Extending longitudinally ateach pyramidal face 22 is a keyway or slot 26 arranged to receive alongitudinal key 32 projecting from an inclined iat face 30 on an outerclamping section 28 to guide the latter for longitudinal movement..Theclamping sections are of substantially sectoral form at their largerends and of substantially segmental form at their smaller ends-and theirouter surfaces form a substantially continuous cylindrical faceto gripthe interior of a hollow` article. In Figure 1, the sections 28 areshown in their fully expanded positions in which they are slidupwardlyas far as they will go upon the central core. By the use of a pyramidalcore and complemental Hat faces on the clamping sections, the sectionspresent a true cylindrical surface in all positions of expansion.Moreover, contact of the quenching fluid with the interiorsurface of thearticle can be prevented when it is not desirable to harden thatvsurface.

lAt the wider' ends of theclamping sections, there are extensions 34extending parallel to the axis of the core andsurrounding the 'shaft l2.Each clamping section has a series of slots 36 in its periphery toreceive split spring rings 38 which tend *to collapse the sections andforce them towards the core when they are moved' to' the small end ofthe latter. At their upper ends,.the sections are recessed as at '40 toreceive a flange 39 onan upper retaining ring which "is sleeved over acylindrical extension 41 on the core, the ring being retained on thecore by a disc 42 fastened on the extension 41 by a screw. rllhe largerends'of the sections extend into an opening in a;lower limit ring 44 andthe bases ofthe sections Arest against a ring enters a circular recessin the lower limitring. -fThe ring 46 may be fastened to or be anintegral flange on a rotary member 48 having an operating handle 50.Fixed to the underside of the member 48 and surrounding the shaft 12, isa cam member 52 arranged to cooperate with a relatively ixed cam member54 formed on acollar 56 secured to the support 10. A limit pin 58 fixedto the rotary member 48 engages another limit pin 60 on the collar 56and limits the swinging movement of the rotary member. At their upperends, the clamping members are chamfered or beveled as at 62 tofacilitate slipping a hollow article over them. When the article is tobe hardened on. the inside as well as the outside, longitudinal orhelical grooves (not shown) are formed in the outer surfaces of theclamping members and these grooves communicate with radial slots 64 inthe lower limit ring 44 so that liquid which enters the longitudinalgrooves when the apparatus is lowered into the liquid, can flow outunder the hollow article, through the radial slots, when the apparatusis raised.

In operation, the heat treated sleeve or ring is slipped down over theclamping sections when thelatter are in their contractedpositions. Thenthe h andle --is turned to the position shown in Figure 1 whereby thecooperating lam members 52 and 54 cause the member 48 and its integralring 46 to be elevated against the bases of the clamp-y ing sections 28andthe latter are moved longitudinally of the core, their flat faces 30being guided along the faces 22 of the core by the keys 82. This expandsthe sections and grips 'the work. The fixture, in-- cluding the support10, i's then lowered into the quenching liquidl and when the article isquenched the fixture is raised. The handle' 46 which i wardly towardsthecorel in readiness to receive another article. By removing the splitspring rings 38 and raising the upper limit ring39, the clampingsections can be removed and replaced by others.

In the form shown in Figure 7, there is shown a core'havin'g pyramidal'faces 70 engaged by complemental faces on a series of clamping sections72 which are retained and pressed towards the core by split spring rings74. Integral with, or attached to, th(` larger end of thefcore is ascrew 76 cooperating with interior threads on a nut 78 having a turninghandle 80 and rotatable in an annular recess 82 in va base 84. A shaft86 extends upwardly through the base, through the screw and core and isprovided at the ends with washers and nuts to hold the parts together.An upper limit ring 88 is sleeved on lthe shaft also and has adownwardly extending circular flange engaging shoulders on the clampingsections to limit their outward movement. A lower lirnit ring 90surrounds the lower ends of the' clamping sections and rests 'on alocking ring 92 having a key slot 94 to receive a locking key passedthrough any one of a series of radially extending slots in. the basemember.

In the operation ofthe modification, the turning of `the handle 80 andthe nut 78 elevates the screw and the core along the shaft l86 andcauses the clamping sections to be spread to the position shown. Movingthe handle in the other direction depresses the core which slidesAdownwardly on the shaft 86 and the sections are then collapsed by.means of the spring rings.

Although the invention has been described by reference to specificconstructions, it should be understood that, in its broader' aspects, itis not necessarily limited to the illustrative embodiments thereof.

I claim:

l. In a quenching apparatus, a core having a series of outer pyramidalfaces, a series ofclamping sections having inner pyramidal faces', theclamping sections providing a substantially continuous outer clampingsurface, and means for causinga` relative longitudinal movement betweenthe core and the clamping sections; substantially as described. t

"2. In a quenching. apparatus, a core having a series of outer pyramidalfaces, a series of clamping sections having inner pyramidal faces, theclamping sections forming a substantially continuous cylindrical surfaceand means for causing a relative movement of the core and the clampingsections; substantially as describedv 3. In a quenchingapparatus, a corein the form of a frustum of` a pyramid, a plurality of complementalouter sections each having an inclined flat face fitting one of the fiatfaces of the frustum, and means for relatively moving the frustum andthe sections; substantially as described.

4. In a quenching apparatus, a core in the form of a frustum of apyramid, a plurality of complemental outer sections each having aninclined flat face fitting one of the flat faces of the frustum, saidouter sections presenting a substantially continuous outer surface, toenter a hollow article, and means for relatively moving the frustum andthe sections to spread the latter; substantially as described.

Ina quenching apparatus, a core in the form of a frustum of a pyramid, aplu-- rality of complemental outer sections each having an outer grooveand an inclined fiat face fitting one of the flat faces of the frustum,and a spring ring fitting in the grooves ofthe sections to hold themtogether; sub'- stantially as described.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a core in the form of afrustum of a pyramid, a plurality of complemental outer sections eachhaving an inclined flat face fitting one of the flat faces of thefrustum, means for guiding the outer sections along the faces of thefrustum, and means for causing a relative movement of the frustum andthe sections; substantially as described.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a core in the form of afrust'um of a pyramid, a plurality of complemental outer sections eachhaving an inclined flat face slidable on one of the flat faces of thefrustum, means for guiding the outer sections along the faces of thefrustum, means for pressing the sections toward a center, and means forspreading the sections;`sub stantially as described.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a core in the form of afrustum of a pyramid, a plurality of complemental outer sections eachhaving an inclined liat face slidable on one of the flat faces .of thefrustum, longitudinal keys between the faces of the frustum and theouter sections,

and means for sliding the sections along the frustum; substantially asdescribed.

9. In apparatus of the character de- 1 scribed, a core having aplurality of fiat in- 1 clined faces, a plurality of complemental outersections having inclined fiat faces fi`tting the flat faces of the core,said outer sections being of sectoral form and presentn ing asubstantially continuous outer surface, and means for relatively movingthe core and the sections; substantially as described. 10. In apparatusof the character described, acore in the form of a frustum of a pyramid,a plurality of outer sections each having an inclined flat face fittingone of the flat faces of the frustum, and cam members associated Withthe core and the sections for relatively moving them along theirinclined fiat faces; substantially as described.

. l1. In apparatus of the character de scribed, a core having aplurality of flat inclined faces, a plurality of complemental outersections having inclined flat faces fittingthe flat faces of the core, acam member fixed with' respect to the core, and a secondcam memberengaging the first cam member and the outer sections to spread thelatter; substantially as described.

' 12. In apparatus of the character described, a core in the form of afrustum of a pyramid, a plurality o-f outer sections each having aninclined flat face fittino one of the flat faces of the frustum, a shafteX- tending from the frustum, a cam member Xed Withrespect to the shaft,and a cam member loose on the shaft and movablethereon to spread thesections; substantially as described.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a core in the form of afrustum of a pyramid, a plurality of outer sections each having aninclined flat face fitting. one of the flat faces of the frustum, ashaft connected to the small end of the frustum, a cam member fixed withrespect to the shaft, and a cam member slidable and rotatable on theshaft to slide thekouter sections along the core; substantially asdescribed.

14. In apparatus of the character described, an elevating support,vashaft enn tending upwardly from the support, a frustum of a pyramidattached at its small end to the shaft, a plurality of outer sectionseach having an inclined flat face slidable along one of the flat facesof the frustum, means for holding the sections together, and meansy forsliding the sections longitudinally; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. f

` JOSEPH G. AYERS.

